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Film Review: Punk's Not Dead
There are three confusing things about Susan Dynner's new fun-to-watch documentary Punk's Not Dead: the beginning, the middle, and the end. Here's why: Candid, funny, and insightful interview clips with the likes of Joe Strummer, Johnny Rotten, and Johnny Ramone, are great, but why, when punk is thriving, keeping on, and having fun, start off a documentary called "Punk's Not Dead" with three '70s rockers, two of whom have passed away?
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Henry Rollins: Post-Punk Pundit
The former Black Flag singer walks a fine line between supporting the troops and hating the war.
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Remembering Jim Carroll
Paying respects to the cult figure who was a writer's idea of a punk rocker and a punk rocker's idea of a writer.
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Punk Planet Magazine Dead in the Water
After 13 years, the punk mag gets moshed by reality.
The middle of the film gives an accurate, entertaining, informed, and spot-on portrayal of the punk scenes that developed, thrived, hocked loogies on people, flipped people off, and destroyed amplifiers through the 80s, and then gained mainstream acceptance in the 90s.
Alas, the ending: A rushed montage/collage of young punk-ish bands from all over the world who, I'm guessing, submitted rough video clips of their bands playing, but don't really get much screen time or real interviews.
Soooo, why is a film called "Punk's Not Dead" centered on its expansion into mainstream blandness available for purchase at Hot Topic? I mean, it's always interesting to hear folks like Fugazi's Ian Mackaye talk about starting his own label, or the Circle Jerks' Keith Morris make fun of suburban mall culture, but haven't we seen that a few times before? Lord knows punk culture, as fascinating as it is, has hardly gone undocumented.
This film, as solid as it is, doesn't get us inside today's dive bars, Elks Lodges, and warehouses throughout the U.S. and abroad to feel, hear, and (whoa!) smell those fiery, new local music scenes.
Now there's a documentary I'd love to see.
NOW AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE!
The NEW UPDATED EDITION of "On The Road With The Ramones."
With new pages, photos and info on what's been happening to the legacy of the Ramones since 2003.
This is a MUST-HAVE book for all Ramones fans. Based around the story of Monte A. Melnick who was the Ramones tour manager (and much more) throughout their entire career (1974-1996, and 2,263 live shows). It's an inside look from the people who were actually there witnessing and experiencing all the extreme highs and lows of one of rock's greatest bands. The book is packed with interviews from the Ramones and many many more people who where very close to the band. There is over 250 photographs and pictures of memorabilia Monte collected along the way. Buy it, read it and then revisit their albums. You'll never look at the Ramones in the same light.
Urgh! A music War. It's no longer in print but you can buy a used copy on VHS. There's supposedly six hours of footage out there from the masters of this film, three times what was on the film as released. It's a shame it isn't being made available, as Urgh! is the best when it comes to eclectic live concert music footage from the late 70's. Seek it out, show some interest and maybe one day we'll see the whole six-hour enchilada. Many clips of the released video can be viewed on YouTube.
Definitely unpunk IMHO to wax nostalgic about punk bands of yesteryear. Thanks for links: "punk is thriving" and "having fun" for snapshot of what LA punk is like a little today.
Rock is dead, long live rock!
Punk was an artistic not musical attitude. What followed after 1977 was either dirty rock and roll or art punk. Punk rock never was.